Board may re-survey teachers about domicile policy

Considers drug testing policy

Jennifer Heaslip Herald News Editor

ROANOKE RAPIDS - Board of education members may re-survey certified staff members about whether they would like to have the district's domicile policy changed to allow teachers living outside the district boundaries to have their children attend city schools.

Board member Dorothy Green said she has heard questions from school personnel about exactly who would benefit under a new policy. Board member Tim King said certified staff members would be able to bring their children into the district schools. This includes certified, licensed teachers, administrators and guidance counselors.

It does not include teacher assistants, which Green said may skew the most recent survey results, as some people voted thinking teacher assistants would also be able to bring their children. Because of this, board members decided to consider re-surveying only those who would be affected by the change - those who would be able to enroll their children - and agreed to discuss the policy again at the June 29 regular meeting.

Retiring Superintendent John Parker also talked about recruiting and retaining high quality teachers and staff in his final annual report, which he presented to board members at the beginning of the meeting.

“This is the most important thing the district can do to ensure our students are getting a quality education,” he says in the report. “It is a major challenge now because there is a teacher shortage and the federal requirements for teacher licensure are getting more stringent.”

He also stated one way to keep teachers is to allow them to enroll their children no matter where they live. He was not in favor of this until they began looking at the issue in depth last year, he added.

Of the 33 teachers who have left the district to teach elsewhere during his five years as superintendent, “four left because they cannot bring their children to school here,” he said. “Three of our current employees will definitely leave us for this reason when their children reach school age within the next two years and we have lost four prospective teachers, two in hard to recruit fields, for the same reason.

“This does not include the candidates we may have lost because we could not use the entire Roanoke Valley (especially Gaston Lake) as a potential place to live for families in the process of recruiting them. This issue will not be a reason that can be used to force local consolidation (of the county's three school districts). All of the commentary I have heard in opposition to this policy change when it was considered earlier seemed to be emanating from some feat of precipitating consolidation.”

Also in the document, he included a chart that shows the turnover rate for 2004-2005 was 9 percent, up from 8 percent the year before that but down from 16 percent in 1999-2000. The chart represents the latest turnover data available.

He also included a graph that showed why teachers left from 1996 through 2005, and the main reasons were to teach elsewhere (74), retirement (51) and relocation (23). Thirteen left because of job dissatisfaction and 11 resigned in lieu of dismissal.

“We have been relatively successful in the last five years ... Our turnover rate has decreased and is stable around 8 and 9 percent,” he says in the report. “One reason for our relative success is because of the uniqueness of our philosophy. Many applicants are coming to us, rather than choosing to work in districts that emphasize test preparation as the end-all and be-all of educational improvement.”

Later in the meeting, board member Tim King brought up changing the residency policy, which he supports, and said teachers need respect, which starts with the board.

“It's not something we haven't done before,” board member Mike Green said about allowing students to come in. He listed a few names and said he is in favor of the policy change, adding the district needs it to attract teachers.

People will be upset either way, Dorothy Green said, and board Chairman Vernon Bryant said they have to remember to do what's in the best interest of the children.

Drug testing policy

Board members also are debating whether or not to randomly test student athletes for drugs, and had asked Parker to look at what it would cost.

It was not as much as he had anticipated, Parker said, and the amount of money spent would really depend on how much follow-up the board wanted to do if a test came back positive. He believes testing could be done for about $5,000, although there may be hidden costs.

When asked what he thought about instituting a policy, Parker said he would only do it if he feels it would be a deterrent. It's not something that should hurried, he cautioned, adding that putting such a policy in place for next year might be rushing it because student handbooks outlining policies are completed in July. He also talked with city Police Chief Greg Lawson about the possibility of having a policy because of the general use of drugs in the community. Marijuana and prescription drugs are more of a problem than steroids when it comes to students, he said, and a policy “wouldn't be hard to make a case or a rationale for in this community.”

Parker said he remembers having a “terrific problem” with students using drugs when he taught in the 70s, and it goes in cycles. Currently, he said Northampton County Schools randomly tests 10 athletes per season and sport. “I think our coaches want it ... and I think there's a good portion of our community that wants it,” he told the board. “But I'm not convinced it would be a deterrent.”

Jane Deese said they as board members have not made use of everything available to them yet to combat any drug problems. Bryant created an ad hoc committee of Mike Green, Dorothy Green, Deese and board member Emery Doughtie to study the issue.